Road Trip MO to Grand Canyon???

[nagel]

We have been talking about hooking up the camper and heading down South along the Route 66 for a 7-10 day road trip. (We live in Central Missouri) The original thought was to see the sights of Route 66, but the more we research this and talk to people, there really is not much to see along route 66 south from Missouri. (You tell me if this is wrong)

So, we are now thinking about taking a road trip to the Grand Canyon and have never been. We are researching stops along the way where we can boon dock over night and where to stay once we get there, etc. Any sights along the way? Things to stay away from, etc.

Trip will start basically in Southern Missouri (Springfield area) and head south along I44. We want to take a leisure trip to the Grand Canyon stopping where ever along the way and spend a couple days at the Grand Canyon before heading back...maybe same route back or different route returning to central Missouri.

Any thoughts? Advise?

[LocalDaytripper]

A few other sightseeing suggestions if you're traveling I-44/40 would be:
-Cadillac Ranch just outside Amarillo, TX.
-The Painted Desert in the north portion (north of I40) of the Petrified Forest Nat'l Park in AZ. I actually enjoyed this more than the Grand Canyon. Less visitors so you have more time to enjoy the scenery.
-Tucumcari, NM is a great pit stop. We took pictures at the retro Blue Swallow Hotel and ate at the Kix on 66 restaurant. Good food and they have a big parking lot in the back so plenty of space for bigger trailers and such.
-Lastly, make sure to stop and see the Wigwam Motel in Holbrook, AZ. They're still in use as a motel. I thought they were so unique.

Just some ideas...

[trailertraveler]

There is a lot to see along I-40 which follows much of Historic Route 66 in New Mexico and Arizona. In Amarillo, there is Palo Duro Canyon State Park and the Big Texan on Old Route 66. In New Mexico, Tucumcari still has dinners along Historic Route 66 and numerous murals painted on buildings plus other attractions like the foundary and dinosaur museum at the college. Santa Rosa is another Route 66 town and has the The Blue Hole and Santa Rosa Lake State Park which has a nice campground. In Albuquerque there is Petroglyph National Monument, the Pueblo Cultural Center, the Turquoise Trail and the Sandia Crest Highway. In Grants, there is the Mining Museum. Just South of I-40 going West from Grants are El Malpais National Monument, El Malpais National Conservation Area, El Moro National Monument and the Ice Cave and Bandera Volcano. Acoma Sky City is said to be the longest occuppied location in the U.S. They give tours of the pueblo and there is an RV park next to the casino.

On the way to Flagstaff along I-40 are Petrified Forest National Park, Meteor Crater and Homolovi Ruins State Park. You can stand on the corner in Winslow Arizona.

In the Flagstaff area are Sunset Crater National Monument, Wupatki National Monument, and Walnut Canyon National Monument. Sedona/Camp Verde/Cottonwood are about an hour South of Flagstaff with Montezuma Castle and Montezuma Well National Monuments, Tuzigoot National Monument, Palatki and Honaki Ruins, V-Bar-V Heritage Site, Verde Canyon Railroad, Fort Verde State Park, Cathedral Rock, Gold King Mine, Jerome State Historic Park in the area.

All this before you even get to the Grand Canyon.

[2gypsies1]

Matt_Colie wrote:
I am afraid of California (I don't speak Mexican.)

You're not serious.

[Matt_Colie]

For traveling Rt66, buy the book.
ISBN 0-9709951-4-8
There is a whole lot west of Missouri.
We were going to Albuquerque and so turned around about there, but I still want to run the rest of the way even though I am afraid of California (I don't speak Mexican.)

I second the Amarillo rest area. Many in TX have WiFi.

Matt

[2gypsies1]

Limit4 wrote:
On our first trip to the Grand Canyon we stopped at Sunset Crater National monument in Flagstaff. We were glad we did. Also being from Mo. we had never seen any thing like it.

Bonito national forest campground is at the entrance to Sunset Crater. It's so pleasant there. No hookups and I believe no reservations so pull in early. You'll be glad you did. Make the scenic drive through Sunset Crater and explore the Indian ruins.

[Limit4]

On our first trip to the Grand Canyon we stopped at Sunset Crater National monument in Flagstaff. We were glad we did. Also being from Mo. we had never seen any thing like it.

[nagel]

Not retired yet. Just trying to do things we always want to do and never seem to "have time" for. Great information. Thank you.

[2gypsies1]

Every national park has a web site like this. Do all the 'clickies' and you'll learn a lot about the parks - what to do, where to stay, road information, special alerts.

I'd highly recommend that for every national park you stay in the park itself for the best overall experience. If you're driving all that way to make the national park your destination, why would you want to stay somewhere else?

Grand Canyon has two beautiful dry campgrounds (no hookups) and one RV park called Trailer Village. They are just steps away from the canyon.

https://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/camping.htm

[Ivylog]

I would not drive 66 except as suggested...business route in Tucumcarri and Santa Rosa. Agree a one week trip is pushing it but if that's all you have time wise, so be it. Couple miles south of S Rim is a USFS CG...TenX I think.

[ken56]

Grand Canyon Railway RV park is a Passport America park and you can get that half price rate off season if you are a member. Its right at the Station to catch the train to the South Rim and they have a great Buffet restaurant there. The RV park is very nice I thought with clean facilities. They may still be offering use of the hotels swimming pool and exercise room.

Williams is a good place to base from and town has some nice shops and good restaurrants. Rt. 66 has been replaced for the most part by I-40 but there are still many parts that you can drive and still parralell I-40. Towns on the old 66 are pretty much ghost towns as the interstate has hurt them.

If you are planning this trip for like within the next couple of weeks then be ready for cold weather camping. The Grand Canyon Plateau is 66oo ft. elevation. Weather shows highs in the mid 50's with lows in the low to mid 20's.

[Dick_B]

I suggest staying in Williams and taking the train to the South Rim. Leave the driving to the engineer.
BTW unless you hike the average length of time at the South Rim is less than 3 hours!

[NMDriver]

You can get in some Route 66 aura by driving through the business route of I-40 in Tucumcarri and Santa Rosa. I would not try driving Central Ave in Albu the old route 66 route.

When you get to Grants and Gallup again take the business route for some 66 type sights and feel.

By turning south at Grants you can follow NM 53 to El Malpais and the Zuni reservation. From there you can go on over into AZ to US 191 or turn back up to Gallup on NM 602. I would go up 602 just to see the cliffs near Gallup and do some shopping in the old part of town.

Painted Desert and Petrified forest are worth a drive through and you can camp at Homilovi State Park near Winslow.

There is more old 66 driving in Holbrook and Winslow but the main old 66 route is west of Flagstaff at Ash Fork, to Seligman and over to Kingman and Oatman.

[MDKMDK]

Amarillo Travel and Info Center across I-40 from the Flying J truck stop is a good spot to stop/boondock for the night. Secure, bathrooms, vending machines, and wifi. Haven't been there in about 6 years since we discovered it, but it gets good reviews.
Amarillo/Texas boondocking

There's also Winslow, AZ (think Eagles song "Take It Easy", might be worth a quick look, if you like that sort of thing). They have a Walmart for free overnighting.

and Meteor Crater, a little further west along I-40 (again if you like that sort of thing). We got there late in the day the last time through, and thought what the heck, let's go see what it's about. They were just closing up. Asked if they'd let us take a quick look for an "after 4 pm" price, but they wanted the full entry fee which was a bit pricey to look at a big hole in the ground, so we just kept going. Maybe some other time.

Flagstaff has 2 Walmarts for low cost overnighting and restocking supplies.

Just north of Williams, off I-40, there's a nice campground, "Kaibab Lake CG". It is right off of AZ-64 which is one of the access routes north to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Very nice spot.
Kaibab Lake CG

[Fred_n_Jo]

If you truly begin your trip from "Central Missouri" as opposed to "near Springfield" our preferred route is US-54 across Kansas, the OK panhandle, the TX panhandle and meets up with I-40 at Tucumcari, NM. This bypasses the two turnpikes in OK between MO state line and Oklahoma City on I-44.